Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
| Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Developer(s) | MercurySteam |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Producer(s) | Dave Cox |
| Series | Castlevania |
| Engine | Mercury Engine 2[1] |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows[1] |
| Release date(s) | NA February 25, 2014 EU TBA[2] UK February 28, 2014 |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is an upcoming action-adventure game and a sequel to the 2010 game, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. The game is in development by MercurySteam and published by Konami. It is expected to be MercurySteam's last contribution to the Castlevania franchise.[3] The story is set in a modern world.[4]
Gameplay[edit]
As in the previous game, the player will control Gabriel Belmont, now known as Dracula, as he fights through an open world.[4] During the game's opening sequence the player will able to control Dracula while he still possesses all his powers as well as all of his weapons.[5] Dracula's main weapon is his Blood Whip, a weapon that is comparable to the Combat Cross from the original Lords of Shadow. Replacing the magic system from the previous game are the Void Sword and the Chaos Claws. The Void Sword can replenish Dracula's health when used while the Chaos Claws can be used to break through enemy defenses and deliver powerful attacks. The story mode in Lords of Shadow 2 has been stated to be far longer than the previous one.[6] The game will mainly be an open world allowing the player to choose what route to take.[7] This game will also feature a movable camera, something that was not available in the first Lords of Shadow game.[8]
Plot[edit]
Dracula awakens many years after the events of the two previous Lords of Shadow titles. He has been warned by Zobek of the return of Satan and sets out to regain his powers so that he may face Satan once again. The key to him regaining his power lies in his castle. However, the famed Belmont clan and his own son Alucard seek his ultimate destruction.
Development[edit]
The game was announced at E3 2012.[9] The developers' intention was to play as Dracula for the first time in the Castlevania series and conclude the storyline started in the first Lords of Shadow. Although the previous game was well-received, the designers noted it had several flaws which they wanted to fix while improving the gameplay.[7] This includes reducing the game's over-reliance on quick time events, removing the fixed camera in favor of a 360 field, and improving the framerate.[5] Rather than recycling elements from previous games, the team decided to redesign the game engine. The developers also felt Lords of Shadow was too linear, which introduced another change for the sequel:[5] it will have an open world to give players a sense of exploration and avoid transitions between levels. Despite an initially linear path, players will be given multiple options as they progress. This was also intended to contrast with other action series such as God of War and Devil May Cry.[7] Designing the modern setting created difficulties for the developers.[4] The team had previously done open world games but were disappointed with their quality and believe Lords of Shadow 2 will be an improvement over those.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 coming to PC". Joystiq. 2012-08-16.
- ^ "Castlevania - Lords of Shadow 2". Konami. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
- ^ "Castlevania Lords of Shadow: Mercury Steam's mission to be the next Naughty Dog". Eurogamer. February 20, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
- ^ a b c Donlan, Christian (May 14, 2013). "Lords Of Shadow 2 dev Mercury Steam on why Castlevania ‘needed a change’". Edge. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
- ^ a b c "How Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 attempts to improve upon the original". Shack News. June 12, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ^ Ryckert, Dan (June 12, 2013). "Speaking With David Cox About The Ambitious Lords Of Shadow 2". Game Informer. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Lords Of Shadow 2 dev Mercury Steam on why Castlevania ‘needed a change’". Now Gamer. May 14, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
- ^ http://www.vg247.com/2013/05/13/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-2-gameplay-details-surface-from-first-preview/
- ^ Brown, Nathan (June 1, 2012). "E3 2012: Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow 2 announced". Edge. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
